By REYNALD MAGALLON

Bennie Boatwright immediately made his presence felt in his first game back, firing 41 points as San Miguel pulled off a 98-94 nail-biter against NLEX to give its playoff hopes a crucial boost in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo on Sunday, April 19.

The import did not waste time announcing his arrival as he kept the Beermen’s head above the water during an opening quarter surge from the Road Warriors before delivering the killing blows in the waning seconds in the fourth.

Reminding everyone of the range he had when he first came into the PBA and steered SMB to a title two seasons ago, Boatwright drilled three four-point shots and two triples for the Beermen.

Nothing was bigger, however, than the two-handed dunk Boatwright had after blowing by NLEX import Cady Lalanne to put SMB ahead for good 96-94 with 32 seconds left on the clock.

CJ Perez then scored on a layup for good measure as SMB did just enough to bother NLEX in its final possession.

Boatwright actually finished with a double-double after also collaring 11 rebounds while Marcio Lassiter provided support with 16 points on three triples.

June Mar Fajardo was relatively quiet with 11 points and 10 rebounds while Perez added 13 points and nine rebounds, Jericho Cruz also 11 and nine  for the Beermen, who improved to a 4-4 record.

SMB rolled with the punches early as Lalanne and Schonny Winston just couldn’t miss in the opening frame, allowing the Road Warriors to take a 15-point lead.

The Beermen, however, retaliated and built their own lead which went to as high as 12 before the Road Warriors rallied back into the game late.

Lalanne finished with 35 points and 12 rebounds while Winston had 20. Robert Bolick, meanwhile, came one point shy of a triple-double with nine points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists for the Road Warriors, whose four-game streak got snapped to slide to a 6-2 slate.